Fantasy of Flight’s Weeks wins award for children’s book

The founder and creator of Fantasy of Flight, Kermit Weeks, received a Bronze IPPY Award in the 13th Annual Independent Publisher Book Awards for his recently published children’s book, “All of Life is a School.”

The aviation-themed children’s story is Weeks’ first published work.

Weeks won the Bronze Award in the category “Children’s Books, Ages 7 and Under,” placing in a field of approximately 50 contenders. A total of 3,380 books were entered in 65 categories in the national contest.

“Writing a children’s book is something I’ve always wanted to do, and of course, the aviation theme is a part of me, so to receive this endorsement from the Independent Publishers Book Awards is truly gratifying,” Weeks said. “I wrote this book to develop characters for Fantasy of Flight, as well as to deliver a valuable lesson I have learned in life, which is that ‘All of Life is a School,’ the title of the book. I have never stopped learning and hope it will inspire children to do the same.”

A former aerobatics world champion, Weeks owns the world’s largest private collection of rare and vintage aircraft, and showcases his collection for the public at Fantasy of Flight in Polk City, Florida. His children’s book brings to life some of Fantasy of Flight’s most historically significant airplanes through colorful characters that existed during the Golden Age of Aviation.

The main character in the book is a little yellow monoplane named Gee Bee Zee. In the story, Zee becomes a little too eager to take to the skies and takes off on an important assignment without paying close attention to his flight teacher’s lessons. If not for the backup of his older brother, Jimmy G., Zee might have failed at his task. In the end, he learns a valuable lesson.

Zee is a reproduction of the 1931 Gee Bee Model Z Super Sportster that guests can see up close at Weeks’ Fantasy of Flight attraction. Older, wiser Jimmy G. is the red-and-white monoplane based on the Gee Bee Model R-1 and named after famed pilot Jimmy Doolittle, who flew it to victory in the Thompson Trophy race of 1932.

The book is available for $19.95 plus tax at the Fantasy of Flight gift shop or can be ordered online at www.geebee.com.